**sigh** what happened to the good postmen?

pulliptears

I used to have a fab postie. He would turn up before lunchtime and I always got my mail. He was cheerful, knew everyones name and always had a cheery "good morning!" Then he vanished

I had literally just walked through the door this afternoon when the letter popped through... I looked at it, it was for 166 next door. I shouted postie who looked a little bemused and took the letter back.

5 mins later my next door neighbour at 162 shouts me, yes he has all my post, and the next house down is his, next down has theirs etc etc

So I presume this clever postie has gone along the entire street posting letters in the wrong doors

I could understand, but my house number is huge lol

hollydays

I had heard letter-swapping was rife in suburbia.:D

pulliptears

pmsl its a good excuse for a natter with neighbours if nothing else!!

Although the man next door is probably thinking Im up to something kinky as he opened a pack of Wii remote vinyl skins and Id be willing to be he now thinks they are some strange type of condom......

Poppycat

Office may have had a repick that is that the rounds may be up on a board and seniority had first pick, this may differ from office to office of course.

Or he may be ill, left etc

Christmas duties also start soon and PO have a lot of casuals this time of year

custardy

heres where all your good posties are heading.

Contract TypePermanent Contract
EmployerRoyal Mail Letters
AddressMain Street

Ballinaallard
ENNISKILLEN
BT94 2FY
Job Description

Are you a competent driver? Could you do with more money? Unable to take on regular hours due to other commitments?

Royal Mail is now recruiting flexible staff to sort, deliver and collect the mail. If you are able to work to tight deadlines while maintaining a professional and positive image, you are the type of person we’re looking for.

Contract length: Permanent

Hours of work: As and when required, Monday - Saturday. We will contact you (usually with at least 24 hours notice) when we have work for you. There are no guaranteed hours.

You’ll be an integral part of our business, someone who has the flexibility to work during times of pressure or staff shortages. You’ll have a permanent contract with us, and work as and when required, with no fixed shift pattern or guaranteed hours.

During a shift you will usually start by sorting the mail in a loud busy environment so you can deliver it later that day. Early morning starts are usual. Working in all weathers, you could find yourself walking, cycling or driving to deliver the mail,

When on foot you could travel 6 to 8 miles, carrying a series of up to 8 heavy mailbags a day (weighing up to 16kg each). Delivery roles always involve a high degree of physical activity.

When driving you will collect mail from Post Offices, businesses and Postboxes, transporting it to mail centres and delivery offices. You will be expected to load and unload mailbags weighing up to 11kg, and push trolleys of mail weighing up to 250kg.

You need to consider how you will get to work each morning, as public transport may not be available that early in the day.

Does this appeal to you? Do you have the drive and dedication we need and do you want to work for a company that has stood the test of time? If so, this position may be for you. Royal Mail has been around for 350 years and delivers to every address in the UK.

Royal Mail provides a competitive salary and offers an excellent benefits package.

Please note, once our maximum number of applications has been reached, this vacancy will be withdrawn.
xt from Job Ad.

the above is on RM's site right now.basically agency staff but directly employed.this is the future RM will introduce soon
you know those strikes that were all about money and nothing else

Terrylw1

pulliptears wrote: »

pmsl its a good excuse for a natter with neighbours if nothing else!!

Although the man next door is probably thinking Im up to something kinky as he opened a pack of Wii remote vinyl skins and Id be willing to be he now thinks they are some strange type of condom......

Ew, I take it they were still in the packaging...:rotfl:

pulliptears

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Ew, I take it they were still in the packaging...:rotfl:

Lol, yes They do look rather weird though! Havent seen him since....:o

Tao81

I appreciate that you are trying to keep light hearted about this by finding the funny side and I applaud you for beings so positive and non-aggressive towards what could have been a perfectly innocent mistake.......However, I have sat here reading the OP horrified!, as further on it becomes quite clear that this Postperson has delivered much of your neighbourhoods post incorrectly! What with all the publicity of identity theft etc.,....You are assuming that every one of your neighbours is honest; by simply joking it off like this?!! If he/she put so much mail in so many wrong letterboxes there is a risk, at the very least, of infringement of your privacy and much more worryingly huge potential for someone to use your details inappropriately!!!!! I would be complaining loudy to RM and pronto! :eek: I know we all have a bad day now and again, but it doesn't take much effort to scan and double check the address on the front of the envelope before popping it through the letterbox does it:mad: That's what you call sleepwalking on the job!!!:eek: (Mind you I know a postman who is completely illiterate, can only read and write his own name and address and genuinely struggles with anything beyond this, he has worked for the RM for donkey's years without them finding out, so for that reason I'm not at all surprised this happens!!! RM should have a strategy for quickly identifying this level of illiteracy and insisting their employees attend literacy classes which are afterall provided free in all areas!

......and what is your neighbour doing opening your Wii gloves parcel anyway?!!! Surely it was addressed to you, or did the Postie actually get it right?? the parcel wasn't addressed to you? or is it a case of your neighbour themselves being illiterate and can't read ? or is a fact thatvhe/she is simply so nosey that they are unable to resist the curiosity of opening OTHERS mail, which is illegal BTW??!!!!!!!!
Your neighbour shouldn't be clueless as to exactly what is in YOUR parcel if it was addressed properly!!!!! :rolleyes: Rant over!:p

zappster1966

I was talking to my cousin yesterday, he's a postie just outside Glasgow. This is a wee bit off topic but shows what a state the Royal Mail is in.

According to him they have 5 "Yorkies" (??) full of un-delivered parcels at their sorting office which haven't gone anywhere fast in the last 2 weeks. A "Yorkie" is seemingly a huge wheeled container. There's simply no staff to deliver them - his office hasn't taken on any casual staff this year to help cope with the busier period in the run up to Christmas. He reckons the parcels would easily fill at least 20 vans ... but the only way they'll get delivered is to take posties off current postal deliveries and to attempt to clear the backlog ... which will lead to even more delays ... he hates his job and is resigning in the new year after 12 years in the place.

End result ? They've had to close their public office due to the sheer numbers of irate customers looking for their parcels ... many Mothers looking for Halloween outfits for their kids that they'd ordered from Ebay etc etc.

He says most delivery offices are in the same position.

The RM is a total shambles.

pulliptears

Tao, you are spot on, fortunately in my case there wasnt anything sensitive but for the other people in the street, who knows?

the Wii gloves were properly addressed to me, but in fairness my neighbour is an old man who isnt the full shilling anymore so I doubt he would have noticed the address and name anyway.

But I agree it is worrying. I hadnt seen this particular postie before, Im assuming my usual man is on holiday. Its something Im going to be keeping a very close eye on. In my case no harm was done and I dont feel it worth kicking up a stink about, if the other residents have had problems then its they that should complain.

custardy

zappster1966 wrote: »

I was talking to my cousin yesterday, he's a postie just outside Glasgow. This is a wee bit off topic but shows what a state the Royal Mail is in.

According to him they have 5 "Yorkies" (??) full of un-delivered parcels at their sorting office which haven't gone anywhere fast in the last 2 weeks. A "Yorkie" is seemingly a huge wheeled container. There's simply no staff to deliver them - his office hasn't taken on any casual staff this year to help cope with the busier period in the run up to Christmas. He reckons the parcels would easily fill at least 20 vans ... but the only way they'll get delivered is to take posties off current postal deliveries and to attempt to clear the backlog ... which will lead to even more delays ... he hates his job and is resigning in the new year after 12 years in the place.

End result ? They've had to close their public office due to the sheer numbers of irate customers looking for their parcels ... many Mothers looking for Halloween outfits for their kids that they'd ordered from Ebay etc etc.

He says most delivery offices are in the same position.

The RM is a total shambles.

exactly,i could tell you similar for many offices over the UK and plenty with much bigger backlogs.
for all those who listened to the RM management PR machine of how the strike was all about money etc and how the posties are not working.
this is the day to day situation in RM.understaffed and constantly struggling to cope day to day.
agreements are reneged without a moments thought.
eg in my office about 18 months ago we phased out 1 in 5 of our posties who used to be floaters for 5 walks(so did a different walk each day in 5) as we were told machine sorted mail would take the pressure off allowing part timers ot take these duties out.
the machine sorted mail hasnt surfaced and we have lost more full timers.
every day is a struggle now to get every duty up & out